saint

The word “saint” means a person formally recognized by a church, especially the Catholic Church, as holy after death, often due to a virtuous life or miracles. In plain terms, a holy person officially honored by a church, or, informally, someone unusually good and patient.

“Saint” is pronounced sehnt (/seɪnt/ in IPA).

Here is “saint” used in a sentence: “The cathedral was built in honor of the city's patron saint.”

“Saint” is a noun.

The word “saint” comes from Latin. From Old French saint, ultimately from Latin sanctus ("holy, consecrated").

“Saint” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Saint” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person formally recognized by a church, especially the Catholic Church, as holy after death, often due to a virtuous life or miracles.

A saint is a person formally recognised by a church as holy, usually after death. A martyr is someone who dies for their faith. Many martyrs are later declared saints because of their sacrifice, but not all saints are martyrs; some are recognised for a virtuous life, good works, or reported miracles rather than for dying.

In the Catholic Church, sainthood follows a formal process called canonisation. After death, a person's life is examined for heroic virtue, and miracles attributed to their intercession are investigated. They may first be declared 'venerable' and then 'blessed' through beatification before finally being canonised as a saint. Other churches recognise saints in their own ways.

Beyond the religious sense, calling someone a saint is warm praise for their exceptional patience, kindness, or selflessness. It suggests a person so good and forgiving that they seem almost holy, as in 'she's a saint for putting up with that.' Used this way, the word is affectionate and often slightly exaggerated.